Never In Your Favor - Finnick Odair

14

Katniss jumped when Johanna's hand brushed against the top of her arrows, causing her and Kaianna to give off a small smile.

"Here." Johanna said softly, holding out her makeshift cup of water towards the younger girl.

"Thank you." Katniss said genuinely.

The pair took a seat next to the brunette. Kaianna noticed Beetee sit down on the other side of Katniss before she let her gaze drift to Finnick, who was sitting alone at the edge of the sand, and letting the waves crash over him.

"Who's Annie?" Katniss said suddenly.

Johanna let out a light sigh, prompting Kaianna to take the lead, "Annie Cresta. She won maybe four- no five years ago, for District four."

"Finnick was chasing her for the longest time." Johanna mentioned softly, pulling a look of confusion to Kaianna's face. She hadn't expected that Finnick could ever want just one person. She was still working to get rid of the image the capital had engraved in her head of the man.

"Wait, was she the one that went a little-"

"Yup," Johanna nodded in response to Katniss's unfinished question, "it broke his heart the way the games broke her. I mean, none of us come back the same but, she had it worse than most of us. It was obvious that the last thing she needed was to be in love with someone, especially with someone who was in the position he was in, and so, he let her go."

"He obviously still cares for her though." Kaianna mumbled.

"Yeah," Johanna shrugged, "and I think he still loves her too. Just not in that way."

"How can you be so sure?" Katniss wondered.

Johanna's eyes flickered to Kaianna, who was still staring at her district partner. Her eyes switched from the woman's eyes, to her full lips but more curiously than romantically. Johanna was searching for a sense of realization in her friend but, she couldn't find one, "Because I think he loves someone else."

Kaianna shrugged obliviously, "Love is so weird."

Katniss's gaze moved to Peeta, who was carving lines in the sand with his weapon. She was beginning to understand Kaianna's statement. At first all she wanted was to stay alive but, now his survival was more important than her's. More important than anyone else's. Kaianna had that feeling too. She just refused to accept it.

"I have a plan." Beetee's voice cut through the air like a knife, pulling everyone's eyes to him.

Kaianna stood up, "Finnick!"

Finnick dug his trident into the ground, and hoisted himself up, making his way back to the small circle being formed.

"I have a plan," Beetee repeated. Kaianna propped herself up on a low hanging tree branch, forcing down the urge to jump when Finnick's hand brushed against her's when he propped up on the other side, "where do the careers feel safest, the jungle?"

"The jungle's a nightmare." Johanna said immediately.

"Probably here on the beach." Peeta chimed in.

"Then why are they not here?" Beetee wondered rhetorically.

"We're here," Kaianna pointed out, "and they're out numbered."

"And if we left, they would come?"

Everyone was starting to catch on.

"Or they'd stay hidden in the tree line." Finnick said.

"Which, in just under four hours, will be soaked by the ten o'clock wave," Beetee explained, "and what happens at midnight?"